Ritu Shah of the University of King’s College (UKC) Blue Devils is the 2023 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women’s Badminton Player of the Year.

In addition, Shah is one of three players who has been named 2023 CCAA Women’s Badminton All-Canadians. See the full list below.

The student-athletes were honoured at the 2023 CCAA Badminton National Championships, hosted by Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus (DAL AC) in Truro, NS.

“It’s a rare talent that wins a Player of the Year award as a first-year athlete but then again, Ritu is not your typical first-year player,” said Michael Kopinak, CCAA Badminton Convenor. “She is ranked quite high in Women’s Doubles in Canada and went undefeated in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) this season.”

In her first year of eligibility, Shah had a perfect record in Women’s Singles and Mixed Doubles and led the Blue Devils to a first-place finish in league play. At the ACAA Badminton Championships, Shah earned gold in Women’s Singles and led UKC to its fifth consecutive banner in the team event.

Coming off a third-place finish in Women’s Doubles at the 2022 U23 National Championship, Shah is now ranked 7^th in Canada in U23 Women’s Doubles. She was also recently selected to Team Nova Scotia for the Canada Games.

A confident leader on and off the court, Shah is always up for a challenge. She will be heavily relied on by UKC and the ACAA to deliver a top performance at the CCAA Championships – if anyone can handle the pressure and focus on the task at hand, it is Shah.

She always plays fair and possesses wonderful qualities for a student-athlete who is so dominant on the court. She is a fantastic role model for young athletes, especially female players who are aspiring to improve.

The club that Shah trains at (JTBC) has seen a huge resurgence in junior badminton, especially young females. Nova Scotia Badminton currently has a very strong and deep group of U15 players and while having a venue dedicated specifically to badminton helps, it is Shah who is providing the leadership and maturity for these young players, who see her as someone they can both learn from and aspire to be.

“If I could choose anyone in the sport of badminton that I would want my 8-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son to learn from and aspire to become, it would be Ritu,” said Andrew Harding, ACAA Badminton Convenor. “She is fearless on the court, with a confidence that is unnerving to all her opponents.”

The CCAA Women’s Badminton Player of the Year receives a customized ring provided by Jostens Canada, the Official Ring Supplier of the CCAA.

2023 CCAA Women's Badminton All-Canadians

Media Contact:
Rodney Wilson / rodney@ccaa.ca
Manager, Communications & Events